Drilling jig



July 24, 1951 Filed June 24, 1947 W. J. PORTER ET AL DRILLING JIG 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Li I INVENTORJ Patented July 24, 1951 Walter J. Porter and Walter G. Porter, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignors to Porter Machine Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a. corporation of Ohio Application June 24, 1947,Serial No. 756,634 3 Claims. (01. 77- 2 This invention relates to machines employing rotary spindles and is particularly directed to an improved drilling jig adaptable for use in receiving and holding work blanks for drilling, tapping, or other operations in this type of machine. A

v drilling jig of this type is customarily employed in production operations for aligning andholding the work pieces during the rotary and axial movement of the tool relative to the work.

The drilling jig to which the present improvements are directed is employed for the purpose of quickly successively receiving and clamping small pieces of work firmly in position while the drill or tap is passed through the work pieces. In

other words, the fixture must be adaptable for use high speed production. During the process of the drilling operation, the fixture must hold the work in such manner that it is accurately and uniformly located in position and so that it cannot turn under the force of the drilling operation. Further, this type of device must, be readily adjustable to accommodate work pieces of difierent sizes.

I It has therefore been an object of the present inventors to provide a drilling jigfixture adapted v for use in a drilling or tapping machine, or. the

. ventors to provide a device of this character which canbe adjusted so as to require very little move ment to efiect the clamping action. Proper adjustments are provided which permit the setting of the parts in position where such clamping movement may be precisely adjusted.

It has been a further object of the present inventors to provide a fixture of this character which includes a guide bushing for the drill which moves to a guiding position as the drill approaches the work and which has associated with it a concentrically related bushing liner, the end of which is eifective as a work engaging surface cooperatingwith the V-block or work support disposed adjacent thereto.

. It has been a still further object of the present inventors to provide a drilling jig fixture which is operated bymeans of fluid pressure controlled through the operation of the drill lowering arm causing automatic clamping of the successive parts as the drill is lowered, and for bringing the drill guide bushing into co-axial alignment rela-- tive to the drill and the work support. Thus, the work is held firmly while the drill passes through it and while the drill is disposed through the guide bushing which bushing is effective for preventing undue lateral deflection of the drill.

Another object relates to the means employed forlcontrolling the flow of air or fluid to the clamp operating piston and to the means for returning the clamping members to released position so that the work can be quickly removed from the fixture and a new piece inserted. In connection with this, it will be noted that the fixture is entirely automatic with the exception of the insertion andhremoval of the work. The operator is merely required to insert the part and remove it. These objects have, been accomplished in a structure which employs a minimum number of parts. In the preferred embodiment, the device consists of a base, a clamping beam or arm, an air actuated piston for actuating the arm and, appropriate clamping elements adjacent the clamping end of the arm. These clamping elements include a V block, or work support, which may be raised or lowered and a drill guide bushing in the clamping beam disposed within a lining element, the lowerend of which cooperates with thework support to grip the work. The

premilinary setting of the clamping arm and the control of its clamping movements are brought about by means of a leveling screw associated with the clamping beam. The device is springreturned after the air operated clamping means is relieved from air pressure. Control for the jig is accomplished through the movements oi the drilllowering arm, this arm operating an air valve which in. turn admits the air to the. jig through an air flow control valve adjusted to admit the air at the correct speed.

Certain other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully apparent from a description of the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary "side view of. a portion of a drilling machine showing the drilling jig of this invention mounted in relation thereto, the fixture being shown in position with the work unclamped.

line 4-4, Figure 3, this View illustrating certain of the invention includes a base, a clamping beam pivoted on the base, an air-operated piston for actuating the clamping beam, and means for gripping and locking the work in the jig. The

delivery of air to the air-operated piston is controlled by a valve located on the drilling machine and actuated by means. of the lever which mechanically lowers the drill for drilling the work.

In other words, as the drill is brought down to pass it.through the work, the clamping beam is :actuated by air, controlled through the aforesaid ivalve, to rock the beam on its pivot into position where it clamps the work and simultaneously aligns the guide bushing for the drill. 1

The exact construction of the disclosed embodiment ofthe drilling jig itself is as follows. Theprincipal element of the jig is the base It which consists of a casting appropriately machined to support the various working parts.

The base includes vertical bores ll through which attachment screws [2' are passed forsecuring-- the base and the entire drilling jig to the table l3 of the drilling machine. The base in? cludes a fiangeld throughwhich the bores I I are formed. These-bores include the usual raised bosses surrounding them. The base includes A longi- --tudinal slot is machined in the top of this base. This slot has considerable depth so as to provide clearance for. the pivotal motions of the a central raised or elevated portion [6.

clamping beam which is mounted for guided :movement within ita i The clamping beam l8 consists of. two parts l9 and 28, respectively upper 'andlower, this arrangement being utilized so as to-provide for longitudinal adjustment of one partupon the other "so as to align the drill guide bushing with the 1 1 work holder. The lower element 20 of the clamping beam is mounted on a pivot pin 2| disposed through the main casting or base element 10 and through the lower element at its forward end. This pivot pin permits downward movement of .the workend of the beam assembly when. upward motion is delivered to the 'rearwardend of :the beam assembly as described hereinafter. It will be noted that on the end of this pin, opposite to that end which traverses the casting and" the beam, there is provided a counterturned portion upon which is mounted means for adjusting the work horizontally. Therefore, although this pivot pin has for its main purpose the mounting of the beam relative to the base, it hastheadded function of providing a means for mounting a .work locating. device. I v I v I Reference to Figure 5 may be'h ad for a full understanding of the structure and mounting of the pivot pin. It will be noted that its extremeinner end includes a counterturned screw 4 of the base adjacent the slot through the bore in the end of the lower element of the beam and partly into the wall 23. This element provides the bearing surface for pivotal movement of the beam and its outwardly extended end provides the means for spacing the work locating arm 25 relative to the base. A knurled clamping nut :25 is screwed on the end'of a ,p 01713111 and is efiective' for clamping'the' ai'x" ainst the end of the spacer sleeve for securing the arm in any position of rotative adjustment.

The elements I9 and 20 of the beam are secured together by means of two screws 21--21.

These screws traverse elongated slots 28 in the upper element of'the beam and are screwed into the lower element of the beam. Thus, longitudinal orhorizontal adjustment of the upper beam element on the lower is permitted. This adjustmentis accomplished ,by means of an adjustment screw 29 disposed horizontally through block 3fl, the block'in fact being the headiof a screw threaded'in'to a vertical bore in thezlower element. This block is located adjacent. the end of the upper element away from the work clamp"- ing end and the screw 29- engages the end of the upper element. Thus, by adjusting the screw 29, the upper element may be movedon the lower element for changing the relationship of the work engaging end of the upper elementrela tive to the pivot of the beam assembly. It will be observed that the slot I! in the base constitutes an efiective guide for both the pivotal movements of the beam for the adjustment movements just described.

In order to avoid clogging o'f'the elongated slots 28 through the entrance of chip's,'a"'cover plate or hold-dowh-stri'p 3| islocated upon the top of the upper element and includes apertures traversed by the screws 21. This strip effectively covers both of the slots and the upper element may be moved readily when the screws '21 are loosened, the element sliding between the holddown plate and the lower beam element; j

At the rear end of the beamfs'peci'fically through the lower element thereof, there is provided a vertically disposed leveling screw 3-2 which is screw-threaded in an aperture in th ejb'am elethe base, that is, into an exact horizontal position, as shown. Such adjustment will automatically bring the center line of the drill guide bushingatthe front end of the beam toila-position perpendicular to the base or in exact axial alignment with the drill, the'drill beingshown at 36. l V T r The clamping beam is" actuated by means of a'piston 31, the rod 38 ofwhich extends upwardly and is rounded to contact the under side of the beam. The base of thejig includes-a vertical bore 39 within whichth'e piston 31'is slidably mounted. The, piston rod r'eciprocates freely within a cap element 40 for the cylinder. This cap element is pressed intothe top of the bore ,constituting' the cylinder and therefore, plugs threaded portion 22 screwed into fixed position 3 inthe wall 23' of the base adjacent the 'slot H.

the pin, this sleeve passing through the walls fi;

the opening at the top of the bore. Atthesame time, it acts as a guide for the piston rod and -'stabilizes it inits'movements. The piston rdd has a thin steel washer 4| fixed to itslower-end,

air now control valve 44 (Figured) is screwed into the passage. There is nonecessity for us scribing the details of this valve A. description of its. purpose will su-flice; This purpose is to control the flow of air into. the cylinder by the adjustment of the valve. The adjustment valve stem isgindicatedat. 4,5. Thus, by an accurate adjustment, unduly fast action of the piston is prevented since this would cause pounding when the jig is in operation. By controlling the speed of. entrance of; the air, the clamping and undamping of the work in the jig can be softened to, obtain subs an i l the ac ion f ydrauli The air line Mi (Figure l) is connected to a nipple 411 the valve. For convenienceof illustration, the valve been swung in Figure 6, to bring the nipple upwardly although its actual position is. as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

In order to return the beam to work unclarnp- "mg position, a spring 48 is provided. This coil spring is disposed under tension between a short pin 49 ((Figure 6), passing horizontally through the. central portion of the lower beam element,

and a pin 56 disposed horizontally through the base. The base includes a clearance bore and the lower element of the beam includes a clearance bore 52. The spring includesterminal hooks of conventional type. The effect of the spring normally is to return the beam to position where the leveling screw is in contact with the base and the. piston has been returned to starting position. The 7 spring is of sufiicient strength to accomplish these actions andto thoroughly exhaust the air from the cylinder back through the air line through the normal exhaust port; of the control valve located on the drilling machine.

. The clamping parts or the drilling jig are. located at its forward end. Thaforward end of the; beam carries a drill guide bushing element 53, this bushing, including a bore of suiilcient diameter, to afford the proper clearance for the drill and at the same time prevents undue lateral displacement of the drill as it. passes. into the work. The drill guide bushing is telescopically mounted within, and is co-axially disposed relative to, a bushing liner member 54. This liner is fixed in position in the forward end of the beam and includes a head portion 55 which is downwardly disposed and which is utilized as the work engaging member. When the work blank inserted in the work support or V-block this bushinsi r is brought down aga n t t work at arressu e pr portionate, to the amount of air actuating the piston. While the. Workis securely ripped by the head of the bushing liner,

the: dri l-is; brought down through th guide bushing and passesthroug'h the work blank. In the meantime, this bushing liner is continually exerting a, clamping pressure against the work.

The drill, guide bushing element 53 issecured in position by means of a clamping or 'set screw 51 secured; into the top of; the beam adjacent the dr ll. sn de bu hin d a n its head en aged in an arcu te ecess the of the drill g d nutmeg... The work rest or the. V-block. member 56. is tubular and consists. ofthe upper v-slotted portion 58', an intermediate shoulder 59, anda centering stud portion 60.. An. elevating screw 61 is threaded into. thescrew threaded bore 62; of the base. This element makes available .a fine vertical adjustment to permit elevation or the work holder or rest to whatever height. is required to. suit the diameter or thickness of the work to be drilled. The elevating'screw, after adjustment, isset in position by means. of a lockin screw 63 having a knurled head and screwed into a horizontal bore in the base. This locking screw engages atclamping and locking shoe 64. disposed against; the elevating element. The locking shoe is made of brass and is a softer metal so. as to prevent'd'amage to. the threads of the elevating element when clamped thereagainst.

They-block or clamp element 56 is looked in any; adjusted angular position by means of a set screw 55. screwed horizontally into the head. of the elevator screw and engaging the stud portion of the vsblock. It presents rotative displacement of the block which might result from the. torque imparted to the block by the cutting resistance as the drill rotates through the work. The work support or V-block may be of various forms. It need not be, as indicated on the drawingbut may be varied in Size and length to suit the require ments. of the job. Its purpose, as stated, is to lock and steady the work. blank and. to act as the lower abutment to permit the work. to be clamped between it and the bushing liner.

. The work locating arm 25, as stated, is pivotally mounted for swinging movement on the end of the pivot pin 21.. The outer. end of the arm is drilled andtapped to receive an adjustable screw 66. The screw 66 has a knurled head 61 and is fine pitch threaded throughout its entire length. Itsv point 68. which engages the end of the work blank, may be adjusted with precision against the end of the work to. dispose the work in any desired horizontal position with respect to the drill guide bushing. Inother words, this element, is set in position so that the hole will be drilled, in the work blank. at the proper distance from the end of the work. Once the arm has been set. it is only necessary for the operator to place the end of each work blank against the head-ed end 68 of the screw and the holes are drilled uniform-1y distantirom the ends of the work pieces. A look nut 69, is provided for: securing the work locking screw in any adjusted posi- As shown inFigures 1 and- 2, the air line 46 extends down from a control valve ill fixed to the upper part of the machine, this valve being supplied with air from any-suitable source through line H. The valve Ht is. operated by means of a cam 12 attached to the shaft 13 through which the drill is lowered by means of ahandle is. The drilling machine; includes the usual chuck 15 which carries the drill 3.6. Figure 1 shows the drill in upper position with the valve in closed. In Figure 2. the handle has been. swung down- Wardly to pass the drill through the work. Just as the drill enters the work, the cam 12 is effective for opening the, valve 10 and causing the piston to; move the clamping beam of the fixtur to clamping position. I

A modified form of valve and valve operation (Figure 7) is disclosed. An arm iii is fixed to the spindle; and extends laterally relative thereto. This. arm is, adapted, when the drill spindle is at; its; upper limit, to contact the valve plunger 2:6 '84 of avalv 82 fixed to the armwhich carries the drill spindle. .As shown, this. arm iSlGfiECti-VG for closing thei-valve. The-type of valve used in this form. will-normally, .in' the absence of en,- gagement by the arm; be open. A clamp 83.is fixed around the spindle andthis-clamp provides auboss through which ismounted thestandard depth stop screw 84 found in the conventional machine. The nut 85' on the lower end of this depth stop screw holds .the bar against the under sideof the; clamping element, and secures .it in fixed position with respect to the spindle. Thus it will be apparent that the moment. the drill starts downwardly the air immediately flows to the piston in the jig and the work is clampedand the .drill guide bushing is properly aligned,

0m i t f As stated, the jig is in the position shown in Figure 1 when the-work is inserted in position and when the drill is'lowered. In the drilling operation, the air is'admitted to the'fixture to bring the clamping beamto horizontal and clamping position and'to align the drill guide bushing 53 with the drill 36; Y

r In setting upthe jig for any given operation,

the operator proceeds as follows. First of all, he screws the leveling'screw' 32 securely against the top surfaceof the clamping beam and 'fixes it in this position. The length of the screw is such that this will automatically dispose the clamping beam assembly-in parallelism with the base of the unit; that is to say, places the drill guide bushing '53 in exact co-aXial-alignment with the'center of the workholder or'V-block- 56 so that the drill can pass through the work and through the bore of the work support 'or'V-block while being supported against undue lateral deflection. Thus, it is possible in this arrangement and when the parts are thus set up to use the bottom of the liner bushing as a reference point for fast conversion of the jig to work blanks of different diameters. When the parts are in this position, the elevating screw BI is rotatedto bring the V-block up against the under side ofthe particular piece of work which is to be drilled. The elevating screw is rotated for thispurpose and when the work is held between the bottom of the liner'bushingand the V-block, the set screw 63 holding the elevating screw in position, is

tightened. The V-block can; of course, be rotatively adjusted to procure the proper angular adjustment; Also, at-this time, the screw 66 which adjusts the work horizontally is manipupass lated-to place the work so that the drill-will through the point on the work intended;

In the matter of conversion from one Work blank size to another, let us say from quarterinchto half-inch round stock, the procedure is as follows. First, the elevating screw 61 is rotated to its lowest position. The leveling screw 32 is then screwed down tight against the clamping beam. The new diameter work blank, let us say half-inch round,is then laid in'the V-block and the elevating screw BI is turned counter clockwise along with the V-block-carrying the work blank upwardly until .the top side of the work contacts the under side of the liner.

The levelingscrew is then backed away from the clamping beam to provide clearance for whatever beam motion is a desired and which will permit removal of the work from between the liner bushing and the top of the V-block. It will be observed that the leveling screw serves two functions. In the first place, it permits the clamping beam assembly "to be, set parallel for drill guide bushing just prior to the time that the drill passes through the guide bushing and the work. Promptly upon release of the drill lower ing lever, the spring will be effective for releasing the work and it can be quickly removed from position and a new piece inserted. n

Havingdescr'ibed our invention, we claim: 1. A drill jig fixture comprising, a body, a

clamping beam pivotally mounted on said body,

means forswinging said clamping beam to clamping position, a work support block mounted on the body beneath the other end of said clamping beam, means for raising and lowering said block, a drill guide bushing fixed in the clamping beam adjacent the block and in alignment therewith, a

bushing liner fixed in the clamping beam for supporting said drill guide bushing within its bore, the lower end of said liner adapted toengage the'work blank againstthe bloclswhen the clamping beam is actuated to clamping position, spring means for normally returning the clamp ing beam to unclamped position when the clamp-'- ing pressure is discontinued and a leveling screw, said leveling screw adjustably mounted in the clamping beam for changing the position of its lower end relative to abutment with the body, said-screw being of a proper length to dispose the axis of the drill guide bushing at rightangles to the base of the body when the screw is fully screwed down through the clamping beam;

2. Ina drill jig fixture, a body having a raised portion, a clamping beam pivotally mounted in said raised portion, a leveling screw disposed throughone end of said clamping beam and adapted'to be adjusted relatively thereto, *said 'leveling screw whenadjusted to-its lower limit adapted to engage the body and dispose the clamping beam parallel thereto, means for-actuating-saidbeam ina clamping directiommeans for urging said clamping beam in an unclamping direction, an elevating screw mounted in the body beneath an endwise portion of'saidcla nping beam, a work support rotatably mounted in said elevating screw, and a drill'guide bushin'g mounted in the clamping beam at right angles thereto over said work support, and, a bushing liner disposed around thedrill guide bushing within the clamping beam and having its lower end disposed for engaging a work blank against the-work supporti g 3. A drill jigfor accommodating workpieces of various sizes, comprising, a base having a-flat bottom surface adapted for disposition upon -a worktable of a drilling machine, a V blbck mounted in said base and having a work supporting surface parallel to the bottomsurface' of the base, said V-block being adjustable-Mingl 'tudinally along an axis at right angles to the bottom surface of the base, anarm pivotally mounted on the base and havinga portionover hanging said V-block, a drill bushing mounted in said-overhanging portion of the arm in -such position that the axis-of its bore is in alignment with the axis of movement of the V-blockwhen the axis of the drill bushing is at right angles to the basareleasable leveling means-locating the arm against pivotal movement when the drill bushing is in such position of alignment with respect to said V-block, whereby a clamping engagement may be established between said arm and work carried by said V-block upon adjustment of the V-block, and means for pivotally moving said arm to carry the drill bushing thereof toward said V-block upon release of said releasable leveling means. i

4. A drill jig for accommodating workpieces of various sizes, comprising, a base having a flat bottom surface adapted for disposition upon a work table of a drilling machine, a V-block having a work supporting surface parallel to the bottom surface of the base, screw-threaded adjustment means intermediate the V-block and the bore for raising and lowering the V-block along an axis at right angles to the bottom surface of the base, an arm pivotally mounted on the base and having a portion overhanging said V-block, a drill bushing mounted in said overhanging portion of the arm in such position that the axis of its bore is in alignment with the axis of movement of the V-block when the axis of the drill bushing is at right angles to the base, releasable leveling means locating the arm against pivotal movement when the drill bushing is in such position of alignment with respect to said V-block, whereby a clamping engagement may be established between said arm and work carried by said V-block upon adjustment of the V-block, and means for pivotally moving said arm to carry the drill bushing thereof toward said V-block upon release of said releasable leveling means.

5. A drill jig for accommodating workpieces of various sizes, comprising, a base having a flat bottom surface adapted for disposition upon a work table of a drilling machine, a V-block mounted in said base and having a work supporting surface parallel to the bottom surface of the base, said V-block being adjustable longitudinally along an axis at right angles to the bottom surface of the base, an arm pivotally mounted on the base and having a portion overhanging said V-block, a drill bushing mounted in said overhanging portion of the arm, means for adjusting the position of the bushing longitudinally of said arm to position the axis of its bore in alignment with the axis of movement of the V-block when the axis of the drill bushing is at right angles to the base, releasable leveling means locating the arm against pivotal movement when the drill bushing is in such position of alignment with respect to said V-block, whereby a clamping engagement may be established between said arm and work carried by said V-block upon longitudinal adjustment of, the V-block, and means for pivotally moving said arm to carry the drill bushing thereof toward said V-block upon release of said releasable leveling means.

6. In a drill jig fixture having a body, a clamping beam pivotally mounted in said body, a work support adjustably mounted in said body beneath said clamping beam for movement along an axis toward and from said clamping beam,

and a drill bushing mounted. in said clamping beam in such position that the axis of its bore may be brought into alignment with the axis of movement of said work support upon pivotal movement of said clamping beam, a leveling device associated with said clamping beam, adapted to locate the clamping beam in a predetermined position in which the axis of the drill bushing is in alignment with the axis of movement of the work support, and means associated with said leveling device for holding the clamping beam against pivotal movement away from said work support when said clamping beam is in such predetermined position.

7. In a drill jig fixture having a body, a clamping beam pivotally mounted in said body, a work support adjustably mounted in said body beneath said clamping beam for movement along an axis toward and from said clamping beam, and a drill bushing mounted in said clamping beam in such position that the axis of its bore may be brought into alignment with the axis of movement of said work support upon pivotal movement of said clamping beam, a leveling screw in threaded engagement with said clamping beam and adapted to abut a portion of said body, said screw upon adjustment to a given position being effective to locate and support the clamping beam in a predetermined position in which the axis of the bore of the drill bushing is in alignment with the axis of movement of the work support.

8. In a drill jig fixture having a body, a clamping beam pivotally mounted in said body, a work support adjustably mounted in said body beneath said clamping beam for movement along an axis toward and from said clamping beam, and a drill bushing mounted in said clamping beam in such position that the axis of its bore may be brought into alignment with the axis of movement of said work support upon pivotal. movement of said clamping beam, a leveling screw disposed through one end of said clamping beam and adapted to be adjusted relative thereto, and astop constituting an abutment for the end of said screw, said leveling screw, when adjusted to its lower limit, adapted to engage said stop and dispose the clamping beam in a predetermined position in which the axis of the bore of the drill bushing is in alignment with the axis of movement of the work support.

- WALTER J. PORTER. WALTER G. PORTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 971,556 Petersen Oct. 4, 1910 1,060,477 Meyers Apr. 29, 1913 1,701,644 Stull Feb. 12, 1929 1,715,380 Onsrud June 4, 1929 1,921,721 Batterman et a1. Aug. 8, 1933 2,349,142 Christenson May 16, 1944 

